Method of forming a sugarless coating on chewing gum

Abstract

A method of forming a sugarless coating on chewing gum cores comprises: providing chewing gum cores; providing a coating syrup comprising one or more sugarless sweeteners; providing a dusting mix comprising about 20% to about 60% of a bulk sweetener selected from the group consisting of malitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose, lactitol, sorbitol and mixtures thereof and about 40% to about 80% filler; and applying a plurality of layers of the coating syrup and a plurality of layers of the dusting mix to the chewing gum cores to form a sugarless coating on the gum cores.

1 . A method of forming a sugarless coating on chewing gum cores comprising: 
 a) providing chewing gum cores;    b) providing a coating syrup comprising one or more sugarless sweeteners;    c) providing a dusting mix comprising about 20% to about 60% of a bulk sweetener selected from the group consisting of malitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose, lactitol, sorbitol and mixtures thereof and about 40% to about 80% filler;    d) applying a plurality of layers of the coating syrup and a plurality of layers of the dusting mix to the chewing gum cores to form a sugarless coating on the gum cores.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the coating syrup and dusting mix are applied alternatingly for at least 12 coating operations.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the filler comprises between about 45% and about 55% of the dusting mix.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the dusting mix comprises about 50% filler and about 50% malitol.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the coating comprises between about 5% and about 10% filler.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the coating comprises about 6% to about 7% filler.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the syrup comprises between about 30% and about 80% of a sugarless sweetener selected from the group consisting of malitol, sorbitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose and lactitol.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the syrup further comprises between about 1% and about 12% of a gum selected from the group consisting of gum arabic, gum talha and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the filler is selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, talc, ground limestone, magnesium silicates, aluminum silicates, titanium dioxide, mono-, di-, and tricalcium phosphates, cellulose polymers and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the filler comprises calcium carbonate.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of providing flavor and applying the flavor so as to be incorporated into the coating on the gum cores.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the flavor is added between application of the coating syrup and no dusting mix is applied between the applications of coating syrup just before and just after the flavor is applied.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein first and second different coating syrups are provided and the different coating syrups are used at different times in the coating operation.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the coating syrup comprises a high maltitol content syrup.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the coating further comprises a high-intensity sweetener.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the coating syrup comprises a high-intensity sweetener.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the coating comprises a hard shell coating.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the chewing gum cores have a pellet shape with corners and the coating has a strength sufficient to prevent the corners from chipping during normal manufacturing and distribution of the coated pellets.  
     
     
         19 . A method of forming a sugarless coating on chewing gum cores comprising: 
 a) providing chewing gum cores;    b) providing a coating syrup comprising maltitol;    c) providing a dusting mix comprising about 45% to about 55% malitol and about 45% to about 55% calcium carbonate;    d) applying a plurality of layers of the coating syrup and a plurality of layers of the dusting mix to the chewing gum cores to form a sugarless coating on the gum cores.